Mehta's visa was eventually approved, but he is undecided about accepting a renewed invitation to visit the University of Florida.

Overall, things have improved. According to US State Department statistics, the average wait for a visa had dropped from 2.5 months in 2003 to two weeks by December 2005, and the influx of foreign students has risen.

This is partly because embassies and consulates have increased their resources for handling the extended checks. US universities are also actively recruiting overseas students.